Summary Proceedings 5Th International Marine Debris Conference

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Summary Proceedings 5th International Marine Debris Conference

20-25 March 2011 Honolulu, HI, USA CONFERENCE PARTNERS $35,000+

NOAA Marine Debris Division NOAA Fisheries International Affairs

LEAD CONFERENCE SPONSOR $25,000+

NOAA Pacific Services Center NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program

CONFERENCE SPONSOR $10,000+

NOAA Office of Response and Restoration NOAA Pacific Region NOAA Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument EXHIBIT SPONSOR $5,000+

Chamber of Shipping of America

CONFERENCE CONTRIBUTOR $2,500+ Oceanic Society Expeditions

CONFERENCE SUPPORTER $1,000+ Kona Brewing Company Outrigger Enterprises Group Design Asylum, Inc. Kuloko Arts of Hawai‘i Society of the Plastics Industry EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Fifth International Marine Debris Conference (5IMDC) held in Honolulu, Hawaii, was a resounding success, bringing together over 450 people from all over the world to discuss the persistent problem of marine debris in our world’s oceans. The conference was organized in record time, but you wouldn’t have known it by the participation and enthusiasm levels and for that we, the organizers, thank everyone who contributed, participated, followed us on Twitter or Facebook, or is reading these summary proceedings. We are all looking for ways to apply the information that was exchanged, address new issues that were raised or old issues that were revisited, and are now ready to make a difference in addressing marine debris.

As you might imagine, the following summary of proceedings could never be exhaustive and we apologize in advance if your conference highlight is not adequately covered. The dialogue that occurred between participants during the sessions, breaks, receptions, workshops, and field trips was extensive and allowed for an exchange of ideas that we are sure will lead to new projects and new efforts to address marine debris, as well as a reinvigoration of continuous activities. We hope this summary will serve as a reminder of the energy and enthusiasm from the conference and look forward to seeing what the future holds. Importantly, we look forward to working with new and old partners to implement the Honolulu Commitment, the Honolulu Strategy and protect the oceans for future generations.

Conference organizers CONCLUSIONS

Overarching Conclusions The 5th International Marine Debris Conference brought together a wide array of participants (over 450) from government, industry, academia and civil society, as well as individual citizens who were passionate about finding lasting solutions to the problem of marine debris. It involved 45 sessions with 213 presentations, 5 panels, and 65 posters on issues ranging from the role of government, industry and consumer choice in preventing marine debris to community led coastal cleanups. Several sessions focused on the latest research in the field of marine debris and illustrated that the problem is pervasive, impacting all ocean areas. Collectively, these sessions and the numerous plenary speakers highlighted the complexity of the marine debris challenge facing the international community. Many speakers highlighted the challenges surrounding the presence of plastics in the marine environment. Importantly, the conference drew attention to the detrimental and cascading impacts of debris to marine ecosystems and their biodiversity.

However, despite the scale and complexity of the challenge facing the international community, the overall tone and spirit of the conference was one of optimism. A key conclusion and message of the conference was that marine debris is preventable. What is needed is a closer and more coordinated working relationship between governments, industry, researchers, civil society and the general public to tackle the problem of marine debris at its source, whether that be from land or sea-based activities.

This optimism and need for cooperation was able to be captured and reflected in one of the major conference outcomes, the Honolulu Commitment. The Commitment is a call to action, encouraging all stakeholders to take responsibility for their contribution and find solutions to the marine debris problem. It invites us to make choices that reduce waste and to actively participate in a global network of stakeholders committed to understanding, preventing, reducing, and managing marine debris in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Finally, the theme of the conference was Waves of Change: global lessons to inspire local action. There were many aspects to this theme, but perhaps the most important was that captured in the word “inspire.” Flanked by music and art inspired by the marine debris challenge, the conference participants dialogued, they agreed and disagreed, they brainstormed, they networked, and they celebrated. New ideas were generated and new partnerships were built.

They left inspired.

Plenary sessions were held throughout the conference to set the scene for each day’s discussions. Prominent and inspiring personalities shared their experiences and thoughts on marine debris related issues.

4 Rapporteur Reports Experts from around the world volunteered to be conference rapporteurs and were put into working groups to participate in and report out on session presentations that were conducted in three thematic areas – land and sea-based sources of marine debris and removal of accumulated marine debris. Their goal was to collect key pieces of information from the different presentations that would help to address the sources of marine debris and how best to remove existing debris from the world’s oceans. These parts were then pulled together through summary reports and are included below.

Rapporteur Team Report – Prevention, reduction and management of land-based sources of marine debris

Lead Rapporteurs: Chris Corbin/UNEP-CEP, Seba Sheavly/Sheavly Consultants, Katherine Weiler/ EPA-OCPD

Assistant Rapporteurs: Arwen Edsall/NOAA Ashley Carlson/American Chemistry Council Christine Flowers/Keep CA Beautiful Katie Register/Clean VA Waterways

Land-based-sources of marine debris are preventable; however, solutions will require a closer working relationship between governments, NGOs, industry, and the general public to promote source reduction, increase prevention efforts and improve solid waste management practices. There was a strong sentiment at the 5th International Marine Debris Conference that one must not reinvent the wheel in future actions. Similar methodologies, research, and efforts are being used with varying degrees of success and there is now an urgent need to share these experiences through more effective communications. Best Management Practices (BMPs) should be promoted worldwide and adapted to suit local circumstances as “one size does not fit all.”

There is a further need to tackle marine debris through a careful priority-setting process of key issues and concerns. This may require an initial focus on the “low hanging fruit” or “path of least resistance” through development of expedient, opportunistic, and strategic partnerships. At the same time, efforts must focus on interventions which will have the largest impacts in terms of improvement to the environment and human health - “biggest bang for the buck.” It is important not to try to tackle all types, sizes, vectors, and sources of marine debris simultaneously.

Progress There are numerous, successful examples of BMPs and activities that address the prevention, reduction and management of marine debris from land-based sources and activities. It was highlighted that many of these are not universal, with differences in approaches depending on size, socio-economic conditions, and cultures. Many developing countries and small island developing states (SIDS), in particular, experience deficiencies in basic solid waste management services, lack of enforcement of existing laws

5 and regulations, public apathy, and limited technological options for improving solid waste management.

It was reported that there was added value in linking marine debris activities with other high-profile projects and activities such as the use of marine protected area (MPA) management frameworks, energy efficiency, and local community-based projects with revenue earning or job opportunity components such as “green” jobs.

Progress has been made in both developed and developing countries to: • Increase cost-recovery for provision of solid waste management services through fees for pick- up (residential and/or commercial), free or reduced fees for recycling pick-up, and fines for not recycling; • Use volunteer/stewardship programs, involve private sector, and focus on schools from the earliest level – infant and primary; • Increase linkages of marine debris with “waste to energy” or “waste to fuel” recovery opportunities and climate change mitigation; • Link messages on marine debris with broader waste management concerns and highlight the negative impacts on human health and important economic sectors such as fishing and tourism; • Empower consumers and the general public to make more informed and responsible choices through provision of information related to solid waste, plastics, marine debris, and their impacts; • Develop partnerships among stakeholders including industry, academia, NGOs, government, and regional and international organizations. These partnerships have enabled leveraging of funding support and technical expertise; and • Increase use of social media and the Internet to spread messages on marine debris prevention

Despite this progress in a few select countries, much more needs to be done locally, nationally, sub- regionally, regionally, and globally.

Challenges Several common barriers and challenges were identified that may affect the implementation of the proposed strategies for marine debris and continue to constrain ongoing efforts identified above. While there were some common challenges related to financial, institutional, policy, legislative, enforcement, technological, and technical needs, challenges varied significantly from country to country and even at the local level. Overcoming these challenges will have to be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Cross-cutting challenges included:

• How to ensure that marine debris is integrated into broader management frameworks? This includes efforts to promote integrated management and planning processes such as coastal zone management, pollution prevention, watershed management, water resource management, land use planning, and solid waste management. The relationships between marine debris and other pollution from land and sea and across freshwater and marine environments need to be emphasized.

• How to institutionalize life-cycle analysis? While life-cycle approaches were identified as a major tool to be employed, it was felt that there were

6 ongoing challenges to mainstream at the country level and then to develop and implement appropriate policies for extended producer responsibility.

• How to take a more proactive approach to partnership development? While it was agreed that there were several positive experiences in establishing partnerships and networks for marine debris management, it was also felt that many of these partnerships could be made much more effective by taking a more strategic approach to their development. Greater effort is thus needed to have joint planning and programming among different local, national, and regional stakeholders to arrive at common goals and targets.

• How to ensure a consistency of message with use of the term marine debris versus marine litter and prevent misrepresentation about marine debris issues in general? Some participants felt that the term “marine debris” resulted in a perception of applicability that could limit effective engagement of all stakeholders, especially those not directly involved with coastal and marine issues. It was also felt that there was also a great deal of misinformation being promoted on the Internet about marine debris and its impacts which could hinder a more inclusive approach and the effective engagement of key stakeholders such as industry.

• How to engage all stakeholders, especially those who feel that they are not the source of the problem but are being asked to be part of the solution? Industry is one of the key stakeholders that must continue to be engaged proactively to help address the problems of marine debris.

In particular, the plastics industry and manufacturers of single-use disposable products are considered to be essential partners that must continue to be engaged to help address the problems of marine debris, facilitate implementation of the proposed actions, and focus on prevention and reduction of marine debris at the source. There is still a need to engage additional industry groups including packaging producers, consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs), and point-of-sale retailers.

Recommendations The following recommendations support ongoing and planned efforts to prevent and reduce marine debris from land-based sources and activities. They will be best achieved by reinforcing positive attitudes, behavior, and lifestyle changes concerning consumption patterns and littering by the general public in conjunction with adequate solid waste management and supportive infrastructure.

1. Accelerate policy, institutional and legislative/regulatory reforms: • Ensure that national and/or local reforms in support of marine debris management are expedited and that regulations for littering and illegal dumping are enforced. • Analyze the direct and indirect environmental, social, and economic consequences (including unintended consequences) of proposed reforms including bans and fines on selected products – “Don’t ban without a plan!” • Develop purchasing strategies as another tool to reduce single-use disposable items and to increase the market value of recycled materials. • Implement reforms in an incremental manner with an initial focus on high-priority marine debris items that have the greatest environmental impact and/or risk on human health.

7 • Enhance the transformation of scientific data into decision-support tools and information to guide future policy, legislative, and regulatory reforms. • Maximize the use of regional and global agreements relating to pollution prevention from land-based sources to assist in driving national reforms and capacity-building efforts. • Integrate management approaches across sectors and involve stakeholders from the land- and marine-based sectors.

2. Increase research, monitoring, and analysis: • Expand research on the risks posed by microplastics and chemicals absorbed by plastic materials. • Expand research on the long-term impacts of biodegradable and compostable plastics – are they really a better option for the environment and human health – and develop products with higher “end of life” use to help reduce the potential for these to become marine debris. • Conduct research into the linkages between marine debris and other topical global, transboundary environmental issues such as climate change and the spread of invasive species. • Improve generation of spatial and temporal data on marine debris and enhance the compilation, analysis, and dissemination of information on marine debris amounts and impacts, especially impacts on human health. • Review existing assessments and protocols on marine debris monitoring with the view towards harmonizing and standardizing the scientific approaches being used. • Establish an international monitoring network and database that can serve as a mechanism for global data sharing and implementation of standard protocols for monitoring and evaluation.

3. Improve public awareness, education, and partnerships: • Develop appropriate, accurate, and objective information on marine debris, package this information for the right audience, and ensure it is presented with a clear vision and action-oriented messages. • Enhance national and regional alliances; partner with sectors that are associated with significant waste generation e.g., tourism, fishing, agriculture, large commercial suppliers, and other key industry groups. • Design long-term awareness programmes that include measurable outputs and outcomes that will enable action at all levels and that positively influence policy- and decision-makers and consumer behaviors. Increase public awareness about solid waste management plans and options. • Use media and personal champions as lead advocates for marine debris prevention. Create a marine debris clearinghouse that provides media with relevant, accurate, and objective data and information on marine debris from a centralized website or network of approved websites. Such information should be subject to quality control. • Use all relevant fora and regional/global events to raise the profile of marine debris at the regional and global levels. Specific opportunities were identified in the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO+ 20 Process), Global Environment Facility (GEF) meetings, Global Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) Secretariats, Regional Seas Programmes, and meetings of international organizations such as UNEP, FAO, and IMO. • Increase a social marketing-oriented approach to “sell” the marine debris prevention message; use stronger and more relevant visual images to assist in promoting grass roots, local, and community environmental stewardship. Social media should be used to facilitate networking with non-formal education program participants as a basis for encouraging longer-term attitudinal and behavioral change.

8 • Incorporate education, awareness, prevention, and reduction activities and messages into cleanup events and activities.

4. Use financial/economic incentives: • Depending on local socio-economic circumstances, existing infrastructure, and suitable alternatives, create market-based and financial/economic incentives (e.g., fees, fines, deposits) aimed at changing use of single-life disposable products. • Provide economic incentives to develop alternative products with higher “end of life” use and reduced potential to end up as marine debris/waste. • Create increased value for waste by using buy-back programmes. • Offer economic incentives to encourage the development of innovative, environmentally safe products. • Explore the option of including recycling and waste management costs in the purchase price to allow for “no fee” disposal, which may help in facilitating improved management of solid wastes. • Promote economic incentives for composting and recycling – “Pay as you throw.”

5. Build capacity for waste management: • Improve the basic infrastructure for solid waste management – collection, transport, reduction, recycling, reuse, recovery, and disposal at the household and commercial levels as well as in public places and marine facilities. • Maximize land-based source marine debris interventions through global partnerships involving solid waste management. • Strengthen national capacity of local government authorities, civil society organizations, and NGOs who can contribute to improving solid waste management including promoting greater involvement of the private sector and industry in recycling, recovery, and re-use initiatives. • Facilitate greater south-south and north-south exchanges of experiences and technologies for waste reduction, recycling, recovery, and re-use, including appropriate waste-to-energy and waste–to-fuel technologies. In the case of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with limited land area for waste disposal, innovative technological options for waste processing and the use of marine transportation for off-island recycling and disposal should be considered. • Strengthen national and municipal capacity to plan for natural disasters, such as tsunami, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other events that create marine debris, which in turn can exacerbate other hazards such as flooding and the impacts of deposition of solid waste.

6. Promote industry-led initiatives to reduce waste: • Improve product labeling to facilitate proper disposal methods (“end of life” options). • Increase transparency through the processing and manufacturing of their products (product supply chain). • Expand upon voluntary “extended producer responsibility” projects and where applicable, establish timelines and metrics for implementation. • Facilitate collaborative industry partnerships to increase recovery and recycling efforts, in particular for plastics. • Assist in joint efforts to reduce debris and debris creation and deposition.

9 With regard to the above, it is important to note the “Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine Litter” has been made and signed by 47 associations representing 29 countries to work proactively to address marine debris problems. This is a significant development for a global increase in commitment by the plastics industry to work locally, nationally, and regionally with governments, NGOs, and the private sector.

Conclusion The prevention, reduction, and management of marine debris from land-based sources and activities is complex due to the myriad of sources producing it, compounded by the challenges of monitoring and enforcement of existing controls for its abatement. The importance of addressing root causes rather than symptoms was reiterated to enable more effective implementation of proposed solutions at local, national, sub-regional, regional, and global scales. The use of existing tools such as laws and regulations pertaining to debris and solid waste management should be maximized. Market-based instruments, including environmental charges, taxes, fines, and deposit-refund programs, should be considered by local, regional, and national governments as important tools to reduce and control marine debris in the world’s oceans. They should be seen as part of an integrated strategy that includes improved waste management, education, outreach, laws and policies, enforcement, and adequate infrastructure. Reducing and controlling marine debris in the world’s oceans is a significant – but achievable – challenge. The economic aspects of the global marine debris problem need to be fully explored if we are to be successful in effectively addressing this issue.

Rapporteur Team Report – Prevention, reduction, and management of at-sea sources of marine debris

Lead Rapporteurs: Elizabethann English/NMFS-OAA, Ellik Adler, UNEP/COBSEA, Alexander Tkalin/ UNEP/NOWPAP

Assistant Rapporteurs: Kitty Courtney/Tetra Tech, Inc. Francois Galgani/IFREMER Andrea Neal/Blue Ocean Sciences Stephanie Werner/UBA

Sea-based sources of marine debris are particularly challenging to address given the difficulties to manage offshore activities as well as tracking the movement of debris across ocean currents. Sea- based marine debris can originate from maritime transportation, commercial and recreational fishing, recreational boating, solid waste management, and exploitation of natural gas, petroleum, and minerals. Debris from these sources can include solid wastes, synthetic polymers, cargo, fishing gear, and a host of other products depending upon the function of these vessels and platforms. Debris from these sources can be lost both accidentally and intentionally. While there are ways to reduce or at least mitigate accidental loss, intentional disposal can be difficult to deter given the inherent enforcement issues on the coastal and high seas.

10 The growth of coastal and offshore aquaculture operations in Asia, Latin America, and Europe suggests that materials used in aquaculture are likely to become a more prominent component of derelict fishing gear and marine debris. The type of material lost in aquaculture activities depends upon the type of culture system, construction quality, vulnerability to damage, and fishery management practices. Fish cage components that could potentially end up as marine debris include nets, rope/ties, and cage structures composed of wood, metal, and plastic materials.

Progress In recent years, there has been increasing recognition at the civil and governance levels regarding the scale and impact of sea-based marine debris and the need for immediate action. Subsequent efforts for increased monitoring efforts, mitigation, education, and governance have increased our understanding of the “where” and “why” garbage has entered the marine environment. Scientists have explored new and innovative ways to measure and trace marine debris, working collaboratively with the commercial sector, such as the maritime and fisheries industries and plastics manufacturers. Further innovative cooperative efforts have strived to remove the garbage entering the ocean, such as the nets-to-energy initiative which brings together energy producers, the fishing industry, and waste management to recycle old fishing nets into electricity. Citizen scientists and activists have engaged the greater public, especially school children, on the impacts of sea-based sources of marine debris by alternative education tools. Lastly, the governance of sea-based sources has significantly improved in the past few decades, with a greater acknowledgment of the need for effective and enforceable management measures on coastal and oceanic waters, such as the recent revisions to MARPOL Annex V.

Challenges The challenges associated with sea-based sources of marine debris are significant, arising from the nature of coastal and oceanic activities. These challenges include: • With little to no enforcement at sea, governments are dependent on seafaring entities, including those involved in fishing, shipping, and other commercial activities, to abide by local, national, and international regulations. • Given the impact of oceanic movements, marine debris can ultimately be deposited thousands of miles from where it entered the marine environment, making it difficult to trace and measure the impact of debris. • Comprehensive monitoring and assessing of marine debris while at sea may be cost prohibitive, requiring coordination and harmonization across multiple data collection efforts. • Due to the transboundary impacts of marine debris, the costs for mitigation and removal can be transferred to coastal and flag States not involved in the depositing of the garbage, creating the need for collaboration amongst States on programs, policies, and regulations. It can be difficult to demonstrate the need to support marine debris programs to stakeholders, including governments, when the impacts are not local. • The causes of sea-based marine debris are not fully understood. For example, managers still do not fully understand why fishing gear is lost at sea in some instances, especially given the costs of replacing fishing nets and lines. • Comprehensive and affordable port reception facilities are vital to a successful marine debris program. Fishing vessels, especially those that dock in smaller ports, need reception facilities that

11 can manage all types of fishing gear, including fouled gear and large nets. • Information on existing tools to address at-sea sources of marine debris can be difficult to access. For example, the Guidelines for MARPOL Annex V are not available on-line.

Recommendations In order to reduce the amount of waste entering the marine environment from sea-based sources, the following actions are suggested: • Encourage development and transfer of new technologies (as well as best practices) on preventing, reducing, and managing marine debris. • Engage relevant maritime industries, such as the fishing industry, to become more involved in the development and implementation of effective policies to address marine debris prevention, reduction, and management, including monitoring and assessment efforts. • In the development and expansion of new maritime industries, including off-shore aquaculture, deep sea mining, etc, ensure that the prevention, reduction, and management of garbage is a central tenet of their management schemes. • Improve data collection and assessment of sea-based marine debris, including supporting the development of harmonized data collection efforts and sharing of existing data. • Support the development of cost-effective observation tools that can remotely monitor the movement of sea-based marine debris across oceans. • Develop new and enhance existing resources to improve modeling of the vertical and horizontal movement of marine debris. • Enhance scientific efforts to understand the impacts of sea-based marine debris on the long-term sustainability of marine ecosystems, including the impacts of microplastics on the aquatic food chain. • Work with maritime industries to better understand the causes of sea-based marine debris, including both accidental loss and intentional disposal. • Support outreach and education efforts to all segments of society and demonstrate how sea-based sources of marine debris can impact the larger coastal and marine ecosystems. • Create and support existing coalitions of scientists, educators, and managers who develop outreach tools explaining and highlighting scientific discoveries on and impacts of at-sea sources of marine debris. • Raise awareness of managers and policy makers of the need to address sea-based sources of marine debris. • Advocate for local and national regulations that prevent sea-based sources of marine debris, including improving port reception facilities for the collection of garbage from maritime activities. • Evaluate existing and, where necessary, improve port reception facilities’ ability to manage garbage from all maritime activities, including fishing and aquaculture industries. • Support international activities that jointly prevent, reduce, and manage at-sea marine debris, including development of cross-national outreach and education programs that highlight the long- ranging movement and impacts of marine debris. • Implement the revised MARPOL Annex V and its associated guidelines to reduce garbage from all maritime vessels and platforms. • Ensure that national and international instruments and tools that relate to sea-based marine debris are readily available to governments, industries, and the public.

12 Conclusion To effectively reduce, prevent, and manage sea-based sources of marine debris, all stakeholders, especially maritime users, must be supportive and, more importantly, engaged in initiatives to address vessel-based wastes. While progress has been made, significant efforts still need to occur at local, national, and international levels. Governments, industries, scientists, and NGOs must work together to raise awareness of the impacts of garbage disposed at sea, not just to the immediate ecosystems but also to the larger oceanic environment. Innovations to reduce waste at sea, including policies to reduce the loss of shipping materials and fishing gear during storm events, should be supported with financial and other resources. The most pressing need is for greater cooperation among nations and across oceans to better understand the causes, movement, and impacts of at-sea sources of garbage. Not until there is a basic knowledge of these elements in association with participation from relevant industries will there be a reduction of at-sea sources of marine debris.

Rapporteur Team Report - Removal and processing of accumulated marine debris

Lead Rapporteurs: David Johnson/OSPAR, Erika “Riki: Gunn/GhostNets-Australia, Jenny Miller- Garmendia/Project AWARE Foundation

Assistant Rapporteurs: Peter Murphy/NOAA Ania Budziak/Project AWARE Foundation Sherry Lippiatt/NOAA Rosiland Selbach/Tetra Tech, Inc.

Through the sessions attended by the Removal and Processing of Accumulated Marine Debris Rapporteur Team, it became clear that removal is a critical step towards solving the issue of marine debris in the environment. Without it, debris will continue to negatively impact wildlife and habitat. It became equally clear that removal is not the method that should be the primary response to the issue of marine debris. Removal is inherently expensive, especially in the remote locations where debris often aggregates. Furthermore, removal activities cannot realistically keep pace with the current introduction of debris, especially given the persistent nature of common debris items. The issue of marine debris is best addressed at the source, and the source of debris is the people who introduce it to the environment. Preventing this introduction is the best and most sustainable way to prevent impacts.

Removal can, however, play an important part in prevention. Participation in a shoreline cleanup event can result in the heightened awareness that leads to personal and communal behavior modification. The information gained from removal activities can also provide the context that is critical to telling the story of why marine debris is an issue that must be addressed across society, from the beaches to the boardrooms.

Debris that is removed can also be a resource if disposed of optimally. Whether debris is integrated into waste streams for energy generation or used as the medium for awareness-raising artwork, the process and output of removal activities can also result in an economic benefit. This critical next step in the

13 process is an area of emerging focus for the marine debris community and is one our team felt should be highlighted for both its incredible potential and the need for further investigation that this potential merits.

Progress Removal projects are increasingly incorporating many of the best practices and key recommendations described above and much progress has been made to date regarding the effectiveness of such programs. Strategic partnerships and networks are combining removal with existing monitoring efforts and public education programs to encourage accelerated action. Programs such as “Nets-to-Energy” in Hawaii make use of existing removal efforts and infrastructure to create value from marine debris, in this case electricity. More and more, the artistic community is engaging with the issue of marine debris through artistic expression (e.g., baskets from the GhostNets Australia Program), revealing innovative alternatives to traditional disposal options for marine debris. A number of projects around the world are using fishers as a source of knowledge and practice as well as the key partner performing the actual removal of derelict fishing gear.

Best practices are being utilized in shoreline marine debris removal efforts. The use of social networking to publicize volunteer events (e.g., Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup) is effective in raising awareness, particularly with younger generations. Further, the value of data collection and quantification of debris removed has been recognized. Although various data collection methods are being used, the necessity of standardization for inter-comparison and a central open-access database have been recognized. Additionally, mobile applications for smartphones (e.g., the Marine Debris Tracker application) provide a new, convenient method for marine debris data collection.

The need to prioritize marine debris removals, particularly expensive, large-scale projects such as the F/V Ocean Clipper removal in St. Paul, Alaska, has been acknowledged. On a regional basis, areas that are deemed time-sensitive or high-risk due to ecological (e.g., species migrations) and economic concerns receive priority. Some studies have shown derelict crab traps actively ghost fishing up to 13 years with a measurable impact on the stock each year (Chesapeake Bay studies estimate up to 4% of the annual total catch is lost to ghost fishing). Globally, knowledge of ocean circulation patterns and models are being used to locate likely areas of accumulation.

Although removal is only an interim measure for addressing marine debris, it is an effective tool for increasing awareness and reducing further impacts on shorelines and in surface waters and the benthos as well as to marine life. Significant progress has been made through the creation of strategic partnerships and sharing of lessons learned to increase the effectiveness of marine debris removals. This progress must be continued to see ongoing gains.

Challenges There are a number of challenges or barriers that exist or have been encountered in the implementation of removal, prevention, and management strategies. These include legal, financial, and structural barriers: • Agenda setting – marine debris is not an issue that is on the agenda for the world’s governments, and there are competing issues such as climate change and ocean acidification.

14 • Financial – need to create funding mechanisms to support removal projects. These are more likely to be established once marine debris is on the agenda for national, regional, and global governments, IGOs, NGOs, and other public and private sector funders. • Legal – obsolete laws and excessive permitting need to be addressed. As an example, in some countries, and separately in different states as in the U.S., it is illegal to touch or remove any fishing trap, or piece of a trap, that is not one’s own. • Remote communities – there are specific challenges and needs including lack of infrastructure related to remote communities that call for innovative approaches (i.e., using the MARPOL V port facility requirements to also address local waste management needs). • No “one size fits all’ solution – there is a clear need to address removal, prevention, and management issues as appropriate for the local situation. • Lack of standardization – the lack of a shared lexicon or standardized/open-access database is an impediment to sharing information and analyzing data concerning a cross-boundary, global issue such as marine debris.

These identified challenges and barriers can significantly slow or inhibit progress on the efforts to prevent, remove, and manage debris and need to be addressed. There may be further challenges not listed here.

Recommendations In the context of the removal of marine debris with the goal of reducing the backlog of accumulated marine debris, governments, industry, and NGOs should collaborate to:

• Use marine debris removal projects in conjunction with other activities aimed at supporting the prevention of marine debris such as: o educational tools to raise public awareness and “make the invisible visible”; o advocacy efforts, e.g., linked to a ”ban on shopping bags” campaign or o social tools for the creation of jobs and stewardship of the environment. • Create a standardized global marine debris lexicon of terms [for an example see the FAO Technical Paper 523 on “Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear”]. • Create economic incentives for the removal of accumulated marine debris by turning it into a resource (fuel/energy) or an object of need/desire such as fine art or clothing. • Determine what is in the waste stream (characteristics and quantity) and prioritize removal projects based on ecological and economic concerns and weather patterns. • Promote data collection at removal projects. Establish standardized and consensus methods, reporting, and an open-access database to provide access to the data. • Develop solid waste management plans for addressing marine debris, to close the loop including: o removal activities; o proper and adequate placement of trash and recycling receptacles for shoreline visitors and fishermen and in other public areas like along rivers; and o solid waste facilities that re-use this resource. • Establish strategic partnerships to encourage opportunistic removal; for example, partner with ongoing survey and monitoring programs and work with fishers to combine complementary

15 activities. • Develop best management practices and commercial opportunities for the disposal of marine debris. Provide “free waste” reception facilities in ports for fishermen to discard used fishing gear; • Develop waste re-use systems, e.g., the “waste to energy” systems developed by Covanta, that use smaller feed-stocks so they are suitable for small and/or isolated communities; • Plan for major disaster response (e.g., tsunamis, hurricanes); • Establish public sector funding to support removal; • Combine the meeting of MARPOL V requirements for port facilities with handling local waste management needs for small remote communities (e.g., island states, isolated villages); • Raise the issue of marine debris as a major threat to ocean health in the eyes of governments; and • Safe removal of munitions and/or toxic materials.

Conclusions There is a critical need for governments to recognize the importance of the threat to our ocean – coastlines, surface waters, the water column, and benthos, as well as to marine life and human health – from marine debris. National, regional, and global partnerships between governments, IGOs, NGOs, the private sector, and ordinary citizens are needed to address the problem of marine debris. Significant accumulations of debris are found around the world. These accumulations necessitate removal and disposal but as part of a comprehensive strategy to prevent, reduce, remove, and manage marine debris.

16 THE HONOLULU COMMITMENT

Participants attending the 5th International Marine Debris Conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii, 20-25 March 2011: Considered marine debris to include any anthropogenic, manufactured or processed solid material, irrespective of its size, discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the environment, including all materials discarded into the sea, on the shore, or brought indirectly to the sea by rivers, sewage, storm water or winds; Expressed concern at the growing presence of plastic debris in the marine environment and acknowledged the plastic associations’ Global Declaration on Marine Litter, while recognising other materials also constitute marine debris; Welcomed the ongoing work of scientists, research organisations and other citizens to better and more accurately understand the sources, nature and extent of marine debris, including the effects of microplastics, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, endocrine disruptors and other chemicals on marine biodiversity and public health; Expressed concern at the continued threat and economic costs from marine debris to human health and safety; biodiversity and ecosystem services; sustainable livelihoods; and the boating, shipping, tourism and fishing sectors; Noted that these issues are compounded by accelerating pressures associated with pollution and climate change, as well as human uses of oceans and coasts, such as fisheries, urban and industrial development, tourism and shipping; Acknowledged the importance of international mechanisms, such as MARPOL, the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans and other regional mechanisms, in preventing and reducing marine debris; Recognised the opportunities for addressing marine debris through linkages to sustainable development goals that promote resource efficiency and the principles of a green economy, such as improved life- cycle design and sustainable packaging; extended producer responsibility; safe and efficient fishing and maritime transport practices; and the development of integrated waste management infrastructure that supports recycling and energy recovery programmes and zero-waste strategies; Recognised the roles of governments, international organisations, industry and civil society in sharing best practices and facilitating the transfer of knowledge; Recognised the need to address the special requirements of developing countries, in particular the Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, and their need for financial and technical assistance, technology transfer, training and scientific cooperation to enhance their ability to prevent, reduce and manage marine debris as well as to implement this commitment and the Honolulu Strategy; Emphasised the importance of collaborative partnerships, including industry and grass-roots initiatives,

17 and acknowledged the recent creation of the Global Partnership on Waste Management; Celebrated the increasing level of public interest in finding solutions to the marine debris challenge; Welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the development of the Honolulu Strategy – a framework for the prevention, reduction and management of marine debris; and Hereby invite international organizations, governments at national and sub-national levels, industry, non-governmental organizations, citizens and other stakeholders, to commit to: 1. Make choices that reduce waste in order to halt and reverse the occurrence of marine debris. 2. Encourage all citizens, industry and governments to take responsibility for their contribution and find solutions to the marine debris problem; 3. Share openly and freely technical, legal, policy, community-based and economic / market-based solutions that will help prevent, reduce and manage marine debris; 4. Advocate mechanisms that emphasise the prevention or minimisation of waste; 5. Facilitate initiatives that turn waste into a resource in an environmentally sustainable manner; 6. Develop global, regional, national and local targets to reduce marine debris; 7. Improve global knowledge, understanding and monitoring of the scale, nature, source and impact of marine debris, and raise awareness of its impact on public health, biodiversity and economic development; 8. Collaborate with global, regional and sub-regional organisations, to enhance the effectiveness of multi-lateral initiatives aimed at preventing, reducing and managing marine debris; 9. Encourage financial support for global, regional, national and local actions that contribute to the implementation of the Honolulu Strategy; 10. Encourage relevant intergovernmental fora, including those at global and regional scales, to express support for the Honolulu Commitment and encourage governments to take action consistent with the objectives and strategic activities outlined in the Honolulu Strategy; and 11. Participate in a global network of stakeholders committed to understanding, preventing, reducing and managing marine debris in an environmentally sustainable manner; 12. Contribute to the development and successful implementation of the Honolulu Strategy – a framework for the prevention, reduction and management of marine debris – and its periodic review

5IMDC SIDE EVENTS

Welcome Reception Sponsors: NOAA Marine Debris Division, UNEP, and Kona Brewing Company Speakers

Kahi Kahakui, Cultural Speaker Kahi Kahakui founded the organization Kai Makana in 1999 with the mission of saving the ocean. Kai Makana takes an active role in educating and mobilizing the public to better understand and preserve marine life and the ocean environment. In addition to her paddling work, Ms. Kahakui is a Special Agent for the EPA.

Roz Savage, Ocean Rower, Advocate, UN Climate Hero Roz Savage, British ocean rower, author, motivational speaker, and environmental campaigner emphasized the need for personal responsibility and taking one step (or stroke) at the time. She has rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean and is attempting to become the first woman to row solo across the Pacific. Roz emphasized the importance of personal action – one step (or oar stroke) at the time can take us a long way.

Hawaiian Luau on the Great Lawn of the Bishop Museum

Participants enjoyed traditional Hawaiian food and entertainment under the stars with an opportunity to visit the Bishop Museum’s Hawaiian Hall, which holds the largest collection of Hawaiian cultural artifacts.

Sponsors: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, the Bishop Museum, and Kona Brewing Company

Speakers

Tim Johns, President and CEO, Bishop Museum Timothy E. Johns, Tim, has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bishop Museum, Hawaii’s State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, since October 2007. He was Chairperson of the State Department of Land and Natural Resources. He has been Director of Hawaiian Electric Company Inc., a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. since 2005 and Child and Family Service since 2004. He serves as Director of Grove Farm Company Inc. and Parker Ranch Inc. He serves as Co-chair of The Trust for Public Land Hawai‘i Advisory Board. He serves as a Director of Hawai‘i Medical Service Association Inc. and Turning Points for Families. Mr. Johns serves as an at-large member of the State Board of Land and Natural Resources and is Chair of the Federal Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council. Active in a broad range of local organizations, Tim’s community involvements include the YMCA of Honolulu, the Hawai‘i Nature Center, the Rotary Club

19 of Honolulu, Helping Hands Hawai‘i and the Diamond Head Theater.

Media Roundtable: “The Litter Debate: Surfing for Solutions to Marine Litter”

The media roundtable “The Litter Debate: Surfing for Solutions to Marine Litter”, provided an opportunity for members of the media from around the world (on-site and via phone) to hear from UNEP and NOAA marine debris specialists, as well as from industry representatives and other experts about the current state of marine debris activities, the goals of the 5IMDC and potential next steps for addressing this global issue. The roundtable will be chaired by Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, UNEP Head of Communications, and speakers included: Kris McElwee, NOAA, David Osborn, UNEP, David de Rothschild via Skype, April Crow, Coca Cola, and Steve Russell, American Chemistry Council.

Marine Debris Art Showcase

Participants sipped wine, mingled with international artists, and explored their unique portrayals of marine debris in various art media allowing the artists to educate and raise awareness in unconventional ways. The showcased artists were part of the Sixth Gyre: Art, Oceans, and Plastic Pollution on display in the Aloha Room during the Fifth International Marine Debris Conference.

Sponsor: Ocean Conservancy and UNEP

Speakers

Amelia Montjoy, Vice President of Resource Development and Operations for Ocean Conservancy.

Ellik Adler, Ellik Adler is the Coordinator of COBSEA (Coordinating Body for the Seas of South Asia), UNEP.

Showcased artists: Pam Longobardi, Susan Middleton, David Liittschwager, Andrew McNaughton, Michelle Lougee, Susan Scott, Dianna Cohen, Andrew Hughes

Seeking Global and Regional Solutions to Marine Debris Problem

This half-day side workshop focused on a number of critical issues related to global and regional responses to marine debris in the coastal and open ocean areas or areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). The event brought together representatives of intergovernmental organizations, small island states, scientists, policymakers from multilateral environmental agreements, civil society, and the business community. Cross-sectoral dialogue contributed to the development of the Honolulu Strategy: A Global Strategy for the Prevention, Reduction, and Management of Marine Debris. The event served, inter alia, to help explore a specific role of the GEF in supporting global efforts aimed at addressing marine debris problem. All 5IMDC participants were welcome to attend.

Host: The Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility (STAP-GEF)

20 5IMDC Movie Night

This event provided an opportunity for filmmakers, non-profit organizations, scientists, and students to highlight their marine debris–related videos. Sponsors: UNEP, NOAA, and Kona Brewing Company

Agenda: Hawai‘i Student Video Winner: Aqua Hazard Hawai‘i Student Video Winner: Green School Initiatives Inside the Plastic Vortex/Mario Aguilera Plastic Future: the Midway Story/Clare Fieseler Plastics at SEA: North Atlantic Expedition 2010/Scott Elliott Plastic State of Mind/Ben Zolno The Young Man and the Ghost Net/Riki Gunn Entanglement of Steller Sea Lions in Marine Debris: Identifying causes and finding solutions/Kimberly Raum-Suryan Millicoma Kids Care PSA/Helen Farr Trashing Your Livelihood/Diane Scoboria Two Hands/Edmund Coccagna Gift from the Sea/Kanyarat Kosavisutte

Catch the Drift! 5IMDC Finale Event

The Outrigger Reef on the Beach and Kuloko Arts of Hawai‘i supported the Fifth International Marine Debris Conference by hosting “Catch the Drift,” an evening of entertainment, art, and educational displays on Friday, March 25, 2011, to help bring awareness to the threat posed by marine debris in our world’s oceans. This special event, open to the public, took place from 6 to 9pm in the Ocean Tower lobby at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach.

Sponsor: Outrigger Enterprises Group and Kuloko Arts of Hawai‘i with support from Patagonia Location: Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel, 2169 Kalia Road, Honolulu, HI 96815-1989

List of Workshops

• The Importance of Adequate Port Reception Facilities (for Ship Generated Wastes) in reducing Marine Debris, Sunday, March 20th 1-5pm • Addressing the causes of DFG in the Asian Pacific Region, Sunday, March 20th 8am-5pm • Results Chains: A Tool for Creating Effective Marine Debris Strategies, Sunday, March 20th 8am- 5pm • Methods for measuring the impacts of derelict fishing gear and its removal, Sunday, March 20th 8am-12pm • Hydrodynamics of marine debris, Sunday, March 20th 8am-5pm • Washed Ashore: Plastics, Sea Life and Environmental Art, Sunday, March 20th 1:30-5:30pm • Keep the Sea Free of Debris: Developing effective outreach for land-based marine debris, Wednesday, March 23rd 1:30-5:30pm, Learning Shoreline Assessment Protocols for Marine Debris • Wednesday, March 23rd 8am-12pm

21 • Marine debris education: Classroom and outreach lessons to teach students about marine debris, Wednesday, March 23rd 1:30-5:30pm • Fine Art, Ecotourism, and Science Education – Partnering to Increase Marine Debris Awareness within Communities, Wednesday, March 23rd 1:30-3:30pm • Hawaii’s Youth Bridging Ancient Hawaiian stewardship practices and present-day technology for a sustainable ocean, Wednesday, March 23rd 1:30-5:30pm

Field Trips

• Hawaii Nets to Energy Program tour • Pier 38 tour: Fresh fish auction, marine debris port reception bin, and “talk story” with Hawaii’s longline fishermen • Explore the Waikiki Aquarium • Pearl Harbor Tour • Hanauma Bay Tour and Snorkel

22 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS/COMMITTEES

5IMDC Sponsors Conference Partners ($35,000+) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Office of International Affairs United Nations Environment Programme

Lead Conference Sponsors ($25,000+) American Chemistry Council Coca Cola NOAA Pacific Services Center NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program

Conference Sponsors ($10,000+) Altria Bishop Museum Disney Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation NOAA Office of Response and Restoration NOAA Pacific Region NOAA Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Ocean Conservancy Project AWARE U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Marine Mammal Commission Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council

Exhibit Sponsors ($5,000+) Chamber of Shipping of America CrowderGulf Matson Navigation Owens-Illinois University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Conference Supporters ($1,000+) Kona Brewing Company Kuloko Arts of Hawai‘i Outrigger Enterprises Group Society of the Plastics Industry

23 Art Exhibit Sponsors NOAA Marine Debris Division United Nations Environment Programme Ocean Conservancy Oceanic Society Georgia State University Surfrider Foundation Atlanta Chapter Scenic Treasures Safari (Kenya) Earth-Art by Amanda Flo Water LLC UniquEco Designs In The Bag

Exhibitors American Chemistry Council Bishop Museum CrowderGulf I.M. Systems Group Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation Matson Navigation NOAA Office of Response and Restoration NOAA Pacific Region NOAA Pacific Services Center NOAA Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Ocean Conservancy Safe Planet United Nations Environment Programme University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council

Steering Committee Frank Chopin, Food and Agriculture Organization, Italy Christopher Corbin, UNEP, Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP), Jamaica April Crow, The Coca Cola Company, US Mary Donohue, University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, US Amy Fraenkel, UNEP Regional Office for North America (RONA), US Ljubomir Jeftic, Consultant, Croatia David Johnson, OSPAR Commission, UK Wang Juying, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, China Ilse Kiessling, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australia Holly Koehler, Department of State, US Alison Lane, URS Australia, Australia

24 Christa Licher, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, Netherlands Alistair McIlgorm, Australia National Marine Science Centre, Australia Sarah Morison, NOAA Marine Debris Division, US David Osborn, UNEP Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI), Kenya Jean-Pierre Plé, NOAA Fisheries International Affairs, US Eben Schwartz, California Coastal Commission, US Seba Sheavly, Sheavly Consultants, US Vikki Spruill, Ocean Conservancy, US Hideshige Takada, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan Richard Thompson, University of Plymouth, UK

Planning Committee Kris McElwee, NOAA, US David Osborn, UNEP DEPI, Kenya Amy Fraenkel, UNEP RONA, US Sarah Morison, NOAA, US Heidi Savelli, UNEP DEPI, Kenya Monika Thiele, UNEP RONA, US Arwen Edsall, NOAA, US (secretariat)

Technical Program Courtney Arthur, NOAA MDP, US

Panel Sessions Monika Thiele, UNEP RONA, US

Speakers Megan Forbes, NOAA MDP, US

Workshops Nir Barnea, NOAA MDP, US Sarah Opfer, NOAA MDP, US

Logistics Sarah Morison, NOAA MDP, US

Art and Evening Events Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, UNEP RONA, US Carey Morishige, NOAA MDP, US Heidi Savelli, UNEP DEPI, Kenya Monika Thiele, UNEP RONA, US

25 Exhibits Peter Murphy, NOAA MDP, US

Field Trips Carey Morishige, NOAA MDP, US

Green Team Carey Morishige, NOAA MDP, US Neal Parry, NOAA MDP, US

Media and Outreach Group Tess Cieux, UNEP CEP, Jamaica Dove Coggeshall, Ocean Conservancy, US Andrea DiPaola, UNEP RONA, US Megan Forbes, NOAA MDP, US Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, UNEP RONA, US Sue Kinsey, PhD, Marine Conservation Society, UK Carey Morishige, NOAA MDP, US Heidi Savelli, UNEP DEPI, Kenya Dave Willett, Ocean Conservancy, US Becky Wynne, NOAA MDP, US

Volunteer Recruitment Ben Carswell, NOAA MDP, US Sherry Lippiatt, NOAA MDP, US

Session Chairs Ellik Adler, UNEP / Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), Thailand Ronen Alkalay, Marine and Coastal Environment Division, Israel Jamon Bollock, NOAA General Counsel, US Mark Browne, University College Dublin, Ireland Keith Christman, American Chemical Council, US Christopher Corbin, UNEP CEP, Jamaica Marie Ferguson, NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystems Division, US Francois Galgani, IFREMER, France Scott Godwin, NOAA, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, US Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, UNEP RONA, US Georg Hanke, European Commission / C216 Research Institute for Environmental Sustainability Britta Denise Hardesty, CSIRO, Australia Kirk Havens, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, US Kirsten James, Heal the Bay, US

26 David Johnson, OSPAR Commission, UK Hrissi Karapanagioti, University of Patras, Greece Kyle Koyanagi, NOAA Fisheries / Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, US Alison Lane, URS Australia, Australia Christine Laporte, Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative / University of Georgia, US Thomas Maes, Centre for Environment, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Science (CEFAS), UK Nicholas Mallos, Ocean Conservancy, US Mark Manuel, NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystems Division, US Nikolai Maximenko, International Pacific Research Center, University of Hawaii, US Mushtaq Memon, UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, Japan Sarah Morison, NOAA MDP, US Peter Murphy, NOAA MDP, US David Osborn, UNEP DEPI, Kenya Neal Parry, NOAA MDP, US Joel Paschal, Sea of Change, US Galia Pasternak, Marine and Coastal Enviroment Division, Israel William Pichel, NOAA STAR Satellite Oceanography and Climatology Division, US Scott Radway, SeaWeb,US Christine Ribic, US Geological Survey, US Claude Rouam, European Commission, Directorate-General for the Environment, Belgium Daniella Russo, Plastic Pollution Coalition, US Justine Schmidt, Blue Tribe Media, US David Schofield, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), US Seba Sheavly, Sheavly Consultants, US Sarah Sikich, Heal the Bay, US Max Sudnovsky, NOAA PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystems Division, US Hideshige Takada, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan Monica Thiele, UNEP RONA, US Richard Thompson, University of Plymouth, UK Paul Walker, Global Green USA, US Stephanie Werner, Federal Environment Agency, Germany Chris Wilcox, CSIRO, Australia Michael Williams, NOAA NMFS, US Margaret Wright, Crowder Gulf Disaster Management, US

Panel Moderators Betsy Dorn, StewardEdge Inc., US Kalani Souza, Big Blue O, US Katherine Weiler, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Justine Schmidt, Blue Tribe Media, US Terry O’Halloran, Tourism Business Solutions LLC, US

27 Honolulu Strategy Rapporteurs Leads Ellik Adler, UNEP/COBSEA, Thailand Christopher Corbin, UNEP CEP, Jamaica Elizabethann English, NOAA, US Erika “Riki” Gunn, GhostNets Australia, Australia David Johnson, OSPAR Commission, UK Jenny Miller-Garmendia, Project AWARE Foundation, US Seba Sheavly, Sheavly Consultants, US Alexander Tkalin, UNEP NOWPAP, Japan Katherine Weiler, Environmental Protection Agency, US

Assistants Ania Budziak, Project AWARE Foundation, US Ashley Carlson, American Chemistry Council, US Kitty Courtney, Tetra Tech, Inc. Arwen Edsall, NOAA, US Christine Flowers, Keep California Beautiful, US Francois Galgani, IFREMER, France Ferdinand Goetz, University of Hawai‘i Hilo, US Sherry Lippiatt, NOAA, US Peter Murphy, NOAA, US Andrea Neal, Blue Ocean Sciences, US Katie Register, Clean Virginia Waterways/ Longwood University, US Rosiland Selbach, Tetra Tech, Inc. Stefanie Werner, Federal Environment Agency, Germany

Volunteers Jessica Aschettino Heidi Hirsh Michelle Benedict Paula Lombardo Marjorie Bonar Gina McGuire Robert Chuck Pamela Michael Morgan de Partee Bill Myers Kerry Foltz Katie Nichols Aurora Gallardo Barbara Nowak Louise Giuseffi Tara Rapalli Ben Haffner Jenta Russell Angela Hansen Lori Sakurai Calvin Sondker Judith Tarpley Reiki Young

28 OTHER SURROUNDING EVENTS In addition to the 5IMDC there were a number of additional events in Honolulu Marine Debris Madness!

Marine Debris Awareness Week The week of March 20-26, 2011 was proclaimed “Marine Debris Awareness Week” by Governor Abercrombie and Lt. Governor Schatz.

Marine Debris March — Speaker Series at Hanauma Bay Thursday evenings @ 6:30pm throughout the month of March – The University of Hawai’i Sea Grant Hanauma Bay Education Program, in coordination with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, continued its public outreach series at the City and County of Honolulu’s Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Marine debris will be the “hot topic” for these evening lectures throughout the month of March. As always, these events begin at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday evening in the theatre at the Hanauma Bay Education Center. Events are free and open to the public, with no charge for parking after 5:30 p.m. Doors to the room are kept open – possible light sweater and bug spray recommended. We hope to see you on Thursday evening! These programs are supported and funded by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation. For more information on UH Sea Grant Hanauma Bay Education Program events and activities, navigate to the “Calendar of Events” located at www. hanaumabayeducation.org.

Thursday, March 3 - Marine Debris in Hawai’i By: Kris McElwee, Pacific Islands Regional Coordinator, NOAA Marine Debris Program In Hawaii, the effects of marine debris can be seen from the beaches at South Point to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Marine debris affects the beauty of our environment, is a safety and navigational hazard, and threatens many of our marine species. To protect marine habitat and wildlife here in Hawai’i, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), together with state and county agencies, private businesses, non-profit organizations and community groups have launched several large-scale projects to help fight the problem of marine debris and help protect our marine environment.

Thursday, March 10 - Bag It (The Movie) A self-described “average guy,” Jeb Berrier notices that plastic bags are piling up in his house. So he embarks on a personal quest to figure out where they come from, why they’re so ubiquitous and where they end up after they’re thrown away. With a humorous tone, Suzan Beraza’s documentary also explores our society’s dependence on other single-use plastic items such as wrappers, food containers and bottles — and what alternatives may exist.

Thursday, March 17 - Waves of Change: Global lessons to inspire local action 29 By: Sarah Morison, Deputy Director, NOAA Marine Debris Program Marine debris is truly a global issue, not simply in geographic range, but also in the breadth of methods to address it. This multi-faceted problem requires a range of locally relevant solutions and people in organizations, agencies, community groups, industry, businesses, and academia around the world working to solve it. The Fifth International Marine Debris Conference will bring these people together to share information and learn from one another so that together we can move forward towards solving the problem of marine debris. This conference is being organized and planned to truly facilitate the “Waves of Change” as its theme describes, building on past conferences and efforts as well as increased momentum and interest in marine debris around the world.

Thursday, March 24 - GhostNets Australia By: Grace Heathcote, Carpentaria Ghost Net Programme Ghost nets drift with the currents and tides for many years, continuing to catch and kill turtles, dolphins, dugong, sharks, fish and other marine wildlife. Since being established in 2004, GhostNets Australia (GNA) has achieved the removal of over 7,000 ghost nets of varying sizes from approximately 1500km of coastline. This has resulted in the recovery of a proportion of the trapped wildlife, particularly marine turtles, and the prevention of the ghost nets from returning to the sea. This presentation will give an overview of the extent of the ghost net problem in northern Australia and the work being carried out by GNA and indigenous rangers to combat it. Difficulties facing the program and the aims that GNA holds for the future will be outlined.

Picking up the Pieces – aka Hawai’i Wildlife Fund’s Marine Debris Removal Project By: Megan Lamson, Marine Debris Project Coordinator, Hawaii Wildlife Fund The talk will outline the story of how non-profit Hawai’i Wildlife Fund (HWF) removes marine debris from along the southeastern shores of Hawai’i Island. HWF has been hosting community cleanup events along this particular 9-mi stretch of coastline since 2003. During this time, they have worked with hundreds of volunteers and removed over a 130 tons of marine debris from this rugged, rural, and rocky kahakai. Megan will talk about the history of HWF, basic marine debris facts/stats, their cleanup efforts, and some things that each of us can do in our everyday lives to reduce the amount of marine debris in our oceans. If possible, she will show a short video that HWF is currently making.

Thursday, March 31 - Tackling Marine Debris in the Monument By: Staff from NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s Coral Reef Ecosystem Division The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are home to endangered Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, seabirds, and a near-pristine coral reef ecosystem. Due to the islands’ location in the North Pacific gyre, these marine species and ecosystems are threatened by marine debris which accumulates there. Most of this debris consists of derelict fishing gear, which can entangle and severely injure or even kill wildlife. Ongoing since 1996, staff with the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Division have removed derelict nets from the reefs and shores of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. All nets brought back are used to create electricity in Hawaii’s trash–to- energy program. This program has been ongoing and successful due to the private-public partnership of Hawaii’s multi-agency marine debris partners.

30 Marine Debris Awareness Student Art Project Display Opens Friday, March 18 to Thursday, April 28 - The Marine Debris Awareness Student Art Project Display is an initiative by the Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai`i (B.E.A.C.H.) involving students in K-12 in learning about the impacts of marine debris and then the students created paintings and drawings to bring awareness to these issues in the community. Opens at the Hawai`i State Capitol, 18th March 2011 and closes Thursday, April 28. Hours are 7:30am-10pm weekdays, 8:30am-2pm Saturdays. Entry is free and open to the public. Parking is available underneath the building and is free on Saturdays and after 6pm on weekdays. Parking entrance is via Miller Street. For more information, please call B.E.A.C.H. on (808) 393 2168 or visit: http://www.b-e-a-c-h.org/ studentartproject.html.

The Architecture of Plastic Pollution: Art and Public Action Against Marine Debris and Persistent Organic Pollutants Opened to the public in several locations in Honolulu, Hawai’i, March 2011. Featuring international artists whose work explores crucial issues of the impact of chemicals and hazardous wastes on environment health and food security, through the growing global problem of plastic marine debris. The Architecture of Plastic Pollution at the 5IMDC event in Honolulu, Hawai’i, is the third destination of the Safe Planet campaign’s outreach in the arts, film, performance, photography, sculpture and installation art. This travelling and expanding exhibition which opened at the Czech Center, Bohemian National Hall in New York City in May 2010 is linking key UN and civil society events around the world over the next two years, working towards a major show at the Rio+20 World Summit on Sustainable Development in May 2012. Participating artists in Honolulu include: Rahmin Bahrani (South Carolina USA), Jason deCaires Taylor (UK/Mexico), Jamaica Osorio, (Hawai’i USA), Libuše Niklová (CZ), Chris Jordan (Washington USA), Susan Scott (Hawai’i USA), Barbara Benish (CZ/California USA), Tony Cragg (UK), Mark Chai (Hawai’i USA).

Catch the Drift 5IMDC Finale Event The Outrigger Reef on the Beach and Kuloko Arts of Hawaii are supported the Fifth International Marine Debris Conference by hosting “Catch the Drift,” an evening of entertainment, art, and educational displays on Friday, March 25, 2011, to help bring awareness to the threat posed by marine debris in our world’s oceans. This special event, wasis open to the public. Sponsor: Outrigger Enterprises Group and Kuloko Arts of Hawai’i

2011 “Keep the Sea Free of Debris” Art Contest The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program would like to know how marine debris impacts you and what you are doing about it. The winning artwork will be showcased in a 2013 calendar that will help in raising awareness about the global problem of marine debris. Additionally, the winners will be featured on the Program’s website and in their newsletter, reaching over 200,000 people each month! Open to students grades K-8. Entries must be postmarked by April 16th. For more information and to download the application, visit http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/ outreach/artcontest.html.